Saylor.org Partners with Schools to Guarantee Transfer Credit for Students of Free Online Courses

The Saylor Foundation today announced agreements with seven regionally accredited colleges and universities to grant transfer credit to students who have passed credit-recommended exams built by Saylor and aligned with its free online courses. The partner institutions include:

Charter Oak State College

The City University of New York (CUNY) Baccalaureate for Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies

Colorado Technical University

Excelsior College

Granite State College

Thomas Edison State College

University of Maryland - University College

Provided the courses are appropriate to a student’s program of study, these schools will grant three credit-hours for each of three courses available at Saylor.org and iTunes U: Corporate Communications, Western Political Thought, and Business Law & Ethics. Guidelines are available through Saylor.org.

Following a rigorous review, exams for these courses were recommended for college credit by the National College Credit Recommendation Service (Board of Regents, The University of the State of New York). Students seeking credit must take a proctored exam, either through an online proctoring service ($25) or arranging themselves for an approved proctor (free). The Saylor Foundation will provide a paper transcript to any school the student chooses.

These agreements represent a commitment by the Saylor Foundation to map firm pathways to affordable college credit. The potential benefits for students are considerable; all seven schools offer online degree programs to diverse populations, including non-traditional students such as military personnel and working adults. In addition, over 1500 colleges and universities have indicated to NCCRS a willingness to consider recommended courses.

“These recommendations by NCCRS are already widely recognized,” said Devon Ritter, credit pathways program administrator at Saylor.org, “but the commitments by these seven institutions relieve students of the burden of uncertainty. If you apply and are accepted in a program of study with these schools, your applicable credits come with you.”